a. Field of the Invention
The instant invention is directed toward a system and method for identifying a caller using associated sounds. More specifically, it relates to using one or more voice or sound announcements to identify a caller.
b. Background Art
So-called “caller ID” systems are well-known and readily available. The systems are also known as calling number delivery systems or CND systems. Using such systems, telephone companies offer the ability to see the name and telephone number of a caller using a display box or on a caller-ID-enabled telephone. Similar capabilities are available for both cellular and landline-based telephone users. This service may be used, for example, to screen unwanted telephone calls completely or to screen certain telephone calls at specific times of the day. Still other systems exist that permit “distinctive rings” to be used to aurally identify callers to a call-receiving party. In these systems, the telephone is programmed to ring in a certain tone pattern depending upon the identity of the caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,626 discloses a system for displaying the calling party's telephone number at the telephone set of the called party. Each of the calling locations must include a transmitter for transmitting a pulse train of audio frequency signals. The subscriber receives this signal and upon decoding the signal provides identification of the telephone number calling the subscriber. The subscriber then has the option of whether to answer the telephone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,098 describes a device to screen incoming telephone calls. In the system described in the '098 patent, the identity of the caller is determined and then the call is processed accordingly. To accomplish its objectives, the '098 system responds to a three-digit code previously assigned to each caller. Upon entering the three-digit code, the caller is either connected or routed to voicemail depending upon how the system has been programmed to respond to the calls from each particular caller. For example, a call from a first caller may cause the telephone to ring normally no matter what time of day the call arrives, whereas a call from a second caller may result in the telephone ringing only during certain times of the day or not at all. Since the disposition of a call is determined by how the system is programmed in advance to respond to the call, it may provide some additional privacy but does not allow the called person to make a spontaneous decision whether to answer or ignore a particular telephone call when the call actually comes in.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,660 describes yet another method and system for call-receiving parties to identify telephone callers prior to answering the telephone. Each call-receiving party who received incoming calls is assigned a plurality of numbers, which the subscriber later gives to individuals and organizations from which the subscriber wishes to identify telephone calls prior to answering. When one of the individuals or organizations telephones using the number that the subscriber gave to that entity, the '660 system generates a digitally synthesized vocal announcement of at least the number being called. Since the subscriber knows the entity to which that announced number was assigned, the subscriber likewise knows the identity of the caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,445 discloses a system for aurally identifying a caller based upon the received caller ID information by playing a single prerecorded message associated with the caller ID information. The call-receiving party records a single message identifying the caller that is played when the caller ID information is matched upon receipt of an incoming telephone call. The '445 system does not disclose, for example, having multiple voice or sound announcements associated with a single telephone number, and it does not disclose the use of call announcements that are recorded in the caller's own voice.
Despite the existence of the above-mentioned systems, there remains a need for a system and method to easily and unmistakably identify callers before one picks up the telephone and without having to look at some type of display. There also remains a need for a system that is capable of playing more than one announcement in response to a single incoming telephone call.